PlayStation Plus subscribers can look forward to playing a selection of video games, new and old, as part of its Extra and Premium catalogs, including classic titles from the Resident Evil, Twisted Metal, and more.

New PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 additions to the ever-changing lineup of titles were revealed during today’s June 2025 State of Play showcase. Every game on the list is prepped to drop at some point throughout the summer, with some titles launching on the service day-one.

Sword of the Sea, an atmospheric adventure game about surfing through a colorful oasis, is the headliner here. It’s the next project from the Abzu and The Pathless team at Giant Squid and promises an experience that focuses on skateboarding-like gameplay, magical visuals, and exploration. It’ll be available for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers at no extra cost starting August 19, 2025.

Remedy Entertainment’s FBC: Firebreak, meanwhile, will offer a new perspective on the world of Control when it’s made available for Premium and Extra users’ Game Catalog June 17, 2025. These are fresh experiences from developers with proven track records, but the Premium Classics Catalog will soon allow players to revisit retro titles, too.

New Classic Catalog additions include Deux Ex, Twisted Metal 3, Twisted Metal 4, Resident Evil 2, and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Myst and Riven will also be added for PlayStation Plus subscribers to enjoy as part of Days of Play festivities later this month. These are simply the highlights Sony was willing to share as part of State of Play, with more games likely to be revealed in the coming months. You can see everything confirmed, along with their PlayStation Plus release dates, in the list below.

PlayStation Plus Games Coming Summer 2025

• Sword of the Sea - August 19, 2025
• FBC: Firebreak - June 17, 2025
• Deus Ex - June 17, 2025
• Twisted Metal 3 - July 15, 2025
• Twisted Metal 4 - July 15, 2025
• Resident Evil 2 - Summer 2025
• Resident Evil 3: Nemesis - Summer 2025
• Myst - June 5, 2025
• Riven - June 5, 2025

While we wait for concrete release dates for some of these PlayStation Plus titles, you can check out everything else announced as part of today’s State of Play presentation. You can also read up on all of the titles that have joined the service as part of its June additions.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Sucker Punch Productions will debut a Ghost of Yōtei gameplay deep dive with a special State of Play presentation next month.

A promise to show off more of how the highly anticipated samurai follow-up has sharpened its blade was revealed in a PlayStation Blog post published following today’s June 2025 State of Play showcase. The Ghost of Tsushima sequel did show up for a brief appearance during the tail end of the presentation but mostly served simply as a reminder that Sucker Punch is still hard at work to meet its October release date.

While it may have been disappointing to see Ghost of Yōtei come and go so quickly, it sounds like the July State of Play gameplay deep dive will do more to help with the wait. Sucker Punch’s showcase doesn’t have a release date yet but is said to focus entirely on Ghost of Yōtei and its “evolved gameplay mechanics, including exploration, combat, and much more.”

Sucker Punch formally announced its Ghost of Tsushima sequel last September, promising to place players in the shoes of new protagonist Atsu as she embarks on a bloody journey through Japan in 1603. Although the wait for story and gameplay details has been painful for those hoping for a sequel since the original game launched in 2020, director Nate Fox has said the experience will be "a respectful representation" of Japan, just like its predecessor.

Ghost of Yōtei has a release date of October 2, 2025 for PS5. For everything else announced during today's June 2025 State of Play presentation, you can click here. To help with the wait for more information, you can read up on everything we know about Ghost of Yōtei.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Being “From the World of John Wick” is not an easy thing. In this fictional universe, the threat of death lurks around every corner – and not just because those corners often conceal the members of an ancient and shadowy assassin’s guild. And out here in the real world, any newcomer to Wick’s turf has an instantly iconic Keanu Reeves character to live up to, and with that comes an expectation for innovative, jaw-dropping stunts. These are big shoes to fill, and not everyone can do it. Just ask The Continental.

Ana de Armas, as deadly, revenge-minded orphan Eve Macarro, just wants a chance to try. And as unfortunate as it is for everybody living under the High Table, I’m happy to say she goes toe to toe with the Baba Yaga. De Armas is a star, through and through. We’ve known that since Knives Out; we’ve seen her action chops a few times since, and throughout this movie, she’s equal parts angry and frustrated, dangerous and vulnerable. And she proves that Ballerina really does belong in the World of John Wick.

The challenge for a spinoff, I think, is twofold. Number one, you have to nail all the hallmarks of the original movie and/or the rest of the franchise. Number two, you have to be your own movie. That’s a balancing act bordering on impossible and mutually exclusive. And fair or not, that’s what was on my mind going into Ballerina. I admit, I didn’t have terribly high hopes for it.

The first third – maybe even the whole first half – validated those apprehensions. It’s interesting sitting down to another helping of the World of John Wick only to watch somebody get better at assassin-ing. Part of the charm of this franchise is being plunked down in the middle of a fully formed world full of legendary hitmen and rules that everybody knows, and that’s not exactly the case with Ballerina. It’s something that honestly takes a second to get used to. This section of Ballerina is okay, even good in spots, but the action is standard beat ‘em up fare. Eve’s backstory is suitably tragic, but it’s all pretty rote.

It’s that backstory – so basic it’s in the IMDB synopsis – that weighs these scenes down. We know Eve wants to avenge her fallen father, and when the time came, I found myself more just kinda waiting on him to die, rather than actually feeling his death. If this is the whole motivation for her roaring rampage of revenge, why doesn’t it carry more weight? Instead, it all feels like a shorthand, like director Len Wiseman and screenwriter Shay Hatten (and a veritable murderers’ row of uncredited contributors, including franchise boss Chad Stahelski) just assume everybody knows a father being murdered is enough backstory for an assassin, so they didn’t invest as much emotion into it. That’s fair to a point. We all get how movies work, and this is a franchise built off of a guy’s dog getting killed. But the trick with shorthand, particularly in the fifth installment of a franchise, is that it needs to be, you know, short. Either Ballerina needed a more charismatic turn out of the father and more oomph behind the connection between him and his daughter, or it all needed to just kinda get out of the way quicker.

But here’s the other thing about the first half of this movie: It is not the part that anybody will remember or talk about. There’s a point at which Ballerina earns its place in The World of John Wick, and from that moment on, it’s an absolute blast. And I use the word “blast” here quite literally, because the scene I’m referring to involved what I will forever very affectionately refer to as “great grenade stuff.”

Which brings me back to my two requirement theory of spinoff movies, the first being that you need to correctly do what the franchise does best. John Wick movies have always had a creative approach to action and fight choreography. When they’re at their peak, the fight scenes make you cringe and chuckle at the same time. It’s an entire series built by stunt people, for stunt people who are all saying “here’s a thing we do better than anybody and here’s us having a fantastic time doing it. That’s the energy Ballerina finds about halfway through. All of a sudden, Eve is using her environment and improvising weapons, taking as many hits as she’s dishing out.

I may as well mention here that yes, Keanu is back. John Wick finds himself in a little action, not much by his usual standards, but the highlight for me is a little bit meta. John and Eve square off in a way that John obviously doesn’t like. He doesn’t want to fight against Eve’s story, or keep her from what she’s trying to do. I don’t think that scene was written in there by accident, and it’s not an insignificant scene for the Baba Yaga himself to show up in.

So the spinoff scorecard shows Ballerina did part one almost totally right. How does it fare on part two? How well does this movie stand on its own? The short answer: Pretty well. The longer answer has more to do with that grenade stuff that I’m super into now. This is a funny movie. The filmmakers clearly understand what the audience has come to expect from the Wick-verse and use some of those expectations to create a handful of really funny, subversive moments. If it’s not grenades, it’s dinner plates or a freezer door or duelling flame throwers. Even duct tape gets some significant comedic mileage. There’s one scene in particular, all about the aftermath of an assignment, that’s maybe the most smartly crafted joke in the whole franchise.

It helps tremendously that the weight of John’s four-film odyssey has been completely shed. This movie has no real concerns about paying off any setup or sticking a satisfying landing that’s been years in the making. It seems like the filmmakers themselves felt that, because despite the characteristically tight stunt choreography, there’s a lot of loose fun happening on screen. That lighter touch shows up thematically as well. Every previous John Wick movie stacked a new golden coin of mythology on top of the already heaping pile on the High Table, and that’s true of Ballerina as well. It presents a side to The World of John Wick that allows Eve to be a heroic figure from the start. As sympathetic a character as John Wick himself has always been, there’s a murkiness to him, a sense that he’s killed countless people over his years serving the Table and maybe he’s just reaping a little of what he’s sown. Eve has no such baggage here, and that makes the light moments that much lighter.

So I’m happy to say Ballerina serves both items on my spinoff movie checklist: It continues the traditions of the Wick franchise, but in a surprising way that stands apart. We’re introduced to new corners of the world – including a new villain played by Gabriel Byrne in full-on scenery-chewing mode (that’s a compliment, by the way) – but it also offers another side of our hero’s coin. There’s the unflappable agent of chaos and death, but there’s also a choice to be a protector and a safe haven. That’s something we haven’t seen yet from a John Wick movie, and why on the balance, Ballerina is such a successful spinoff.

Arc System Works, the developer of the Guilty Gear series, is making a 4v4 Marvel fighting game called Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls for Sony.

Announced during Sony’s State of Play June 2025, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is due out on PS5 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store at some point in 2026.

In a post on PlayStation Blog, Reed Baird, Senior Producer, XDEV, PlayStation Studios, confirmed the inclusion of iconic Marvel heroes and villains such as Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Doctor Doom, Storm, Ms. Marvel, Star-Lord, and Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes) – each with Arc’s unique twist on their character designs and gameplay styles.

A 4v4 tag fighting game sounds overwhelming, but Game Director and Lead Battle Designer, Kazuto Sekine, insisted that wouldn't be the case.

"Generally, a team VS fighting game requires the player to learn multiple characters, but for Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, you only need to master one character in order to play the game," Sekine said.

"We have designed the mechanics in such a way that you can perform a variety of actions with either traditional fighting game inputs or simple inputs. With the press of a few buttons, multiple characters can appear on screen to provide backup or attack together – creating a new and exciting team VS battle experience.”

Visually, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has the Japanimation style Arc system Works is known for. As for gameplay mechanics, each character has a bespoke set of Normal, Special, and Unique attacks inspired by their abilities and powers in Marvel lore. And of course there are cinematic Ultimate Skills.

“Team VS fighting games have a long tradition of 2v2 or 3v3 team formats, so this is something we discussed in-depth within the development team," Sekine added. "We went back and forth many times, from thinking we might be better off making a 1v1 game or sticking to the established 3v3 format.

"At its core, we felt that the appeal of team VS fighting games is the intensity of battles with multiple characters on screen at once. Additionally, one of the appeals of Marvel comics is seeing the vast cast of characters coming together to create all kinds of unique team-ups.

"With these two ideas in mind, we concluded that creating a 4v4 team VS system would be the best way to not only create those over-the-top moments, but to further evolve the tag fighting genre."

Most stages also feature multiple areas, with transitions that play a "strategic role." Sony suggested fans check out the screenshots from Marvel’s New York City to see what you can find.

In case you missed it, here's everything announced at Sony's State of Play June 2025 showcase.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Today's PlayStation State of Play broadcast has provided our first proper look at 007 First Light, the upcoming James Bond game from Hitman studio IO Interactive that's due to launch in 2026.

A cinematic trailer for the game showcased a fresh-faced James Bond at the beginning of his career as an agent, who joins MI6 and meets new versions of classic characters M, Q and Moneypenny.

The trailer also revealed the involvement of The Walking Dead's Lennie James, who will portray Bond’s mentor John Greenway in the game.

007 First Light's trailer reveals this incarnation of James Bond was involved in a childhood tragedy that left him as an orphan aged 11, after which he spent the rest of his childhood in various British boarding schools. We later see Bond as a young recruit in the Royal Navy, from which he is recruited by MI6.

It's here that players pick up Bond's story as he becomes an agent, picks up an Omega watch, and starts annoying Q by trying out his gadgets in the lab.

A press release issued alongside the game's State of Play appearance lists Bond's age in 007 First Light as "a young 26-year-old". Players will be traverse the globe in what is described as "a story-driven action-adventure game" where you can choose how to navigate various challenges — either with brute force or 007's trademark charm.

What looks like gameplay footage shows James Bond on a mission, stealthing around, using gadgets — and his fists — to subdue enemies, as the hero is sent off to target a rogue agent. "009 is a master manipulator," Greenway says at one point. "Whatever the endgame is, we won't see it coming." Oh, and yes you can dress up in disguises, as you'd expect from the Hitman studio.

IO Interactive's James Bond game was first announced back in 2020 as Project 007, and since then we've learned very little about it. Still, from the off, IO said that it was developing a fresh James Bond origin story and a wholly original piece of work, rather than anything that followed the events of any particular film.

More recently, IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak has said he hoped 007 First Light would be the start of a new trilogy of games, though unfortunately the studio's beloved Hitman franchise is on hiatus while IO works on this game. We also learned just this past April that in addition to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, 007 First Light is getting a Nintendo Switch 2 release.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Digital Eclipse’s next game collection is Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection, a bundle of classic fighting games that includes some of the series’ oldest entries with new features.

The company behind other retro video game remasters announced that it has turned its sights to Mortal Kombat during today’s June 2025 PlayStation State of Play showcase. Included in its announcement was a reveal trailer, promising to bring NetherRealm’s Mortal Kombat 1, Mortal Kombat 2, Mortal Kombat 3, Mortal Kombat 3: Ultimate, Mortal Kombat 4, and more arcade, console, and Game Boy entries to PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X | S later this year.

More details about the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection were revealed in a PlayStation.Blog post that was published shortly after today's State of Play concluded. Highlights include confirmation that all arcade and console games support online multiplayer with rollback netcode, as well as confirmation that there are more secrets yet to be revealed. Players can also expect the bundle to guide them through Mortal Kombat history with behind-the-scenes materials and interviews.

"Digital Eclipse's interactive documentary format explores how Mortal Kombat changed the way society perceived video games," an official description from the studio says. "By using digitized humans as player sprites in an over-the-top, martial-arts fighter, the game thrilled players, shocked critics, and laid the foundation for a franchise that has thrived for more than 30 years. Hear firsthand from the original dev team of Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel, and Dan Forden, along with other exclusive interviews, rare concept art, vintage marketing materials, and archival video footage.”

Whether you’re a die-hard fan who’s played since the early ‘90s or the kind of player who started with Mortal Kombat 11, Digital Eclipse and NetherRealm have shared a list of eight titles included in Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection. Even more games will be bundled in when launch arrives before the year is out, but we’ll have to wait to find out what they are. You can see the confirmed list of games below.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection - All the Games Confirmed So Far

• Mortal Kombat – 1992: Arcade, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, Game Gear
• Mortal Kombat II -1993: Arcade, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, 32X
• Mortal Kombat 3 – 1995: Arcade, SNES, Genesis
• Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 – 1995: Arcade, SNES
• Mortal Kombat 4 – 1997: Arcade
• Mortal Kombat Advance – 2001: Game Boy Advance
• Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance – 2002: Game Boy Advance
• Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition – 2003: Game Boy Advance

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection does not have a firm release date outside of the promise that it will arrive in 2025. For more, you can read up on everything else announced during today’s PlayStation State of Play presentation.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

If you're shopping for a huge amount of local storage, this is one of the best deals available right now. For a limited time, Amazon is offering this massive Seagate Expansion 22TB USB 3.0 Desktop Hard Drive for $249.99 shipped. This is one of the lowest prices per TB of storage I've seen at $11.36 per TB. The drive is sold by a marketplace vendor - QuickDealStore - with an 85% rating out of 460 reviews over the past 12 months. Amazon, as always, has a 30 day return policy.

Seagate 22TB External Hard Drive for $249.99

Congratulations, stealth-lovers. You're getting a brand new Thief game over a decade after the last entry. However, you're going to need a VR headset to enjoy it.

In a trailer during today's Sony State of Play, we got our first look at Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow. The trailer itself looks fine and very Thief-y - you're exploring a city, sneaking around, looking for treasure you can pilfer, avoiding guards, shooting arrows from the shadows, lockpicking, finding hidden paths, all that sort of thing. It is a little weird to see those disembodied hands floating in front of you, but sure.

From the PlayStation Blog, we learn a little more: you play as Magpie, an orphan thief roaming The City, which is ruled by Baron Ulysses Northcrest. Magpie discovers a legendary artifact of some importance, which leads to a chain of unraveling secrets and conspiracies that spans the city.

Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow is coming out sometime in 2025 on PSVR2 - we have yet to hear if any other platforms are planned. It's being developed by Maze Theory, in collaboration with Vertigo Games and Eidos-Montreal.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Team Ninja has officially revealed Nioh 3 today at Sony's State of Play June 2025 presentation.

The debut trailer revealed an early 2026 release window for the action RPG sequel, which is set for release across PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam.

This time, there are open fields for players to explore and both Ninja and Samurai styles to get to grips with. A demo is live now on PS5 until June 18. Players who complete the demo will unlock an exclusive in-game helmet at launch.

Here's the official blurb, from PlayStation Blog:

In Nioh 3, the protagonist is a young warrior poised to become the next Shogun. Why is he dedicated to battling against yokai? We’ll save those details for another day, but what we can tell you today is as the battles unfold, players will now be able to fight using two distinct combat styles: Samurai and Ninja.

The Samurai style provides a gameplay experience similar to previous Nioh titles. New actions such as Arts Proficiency, which enhances the power of martial arts, and Deflect, which allows players to block enemy attacks at the last moment have been added, helping create a series of intense and deadly face-to-face confrontations.

Meanwhile, the Ninja style excels in quick movements like dodging and aerial actions, giving ninjas the advantage of being able to attack from outside of the enemy’s range by utilizing a variety of “Ninjitsu” techniques according to the situation on the battlefield. Players have the ability to use techniques like Mist, which leaves a clone after an attack, and Evade, which allows for narrowly avoiding enemy strikes. Both techniques help players outmaneuver foes while delivering devastating speed attacks from behind.

Players will be able to switch between battle styles instantly at any time, playing in their preferred style in a storyline defined by the strong, the swift, and the wicked. Based on the tendencies of the enemies and stages, some players will prefer to switch seamlessly between Samurai and Ninja techniques, while others will choose to fight using only one style continuously based on the challenge ahead. Feel free to play with the style you like best as you battle some of the fiercest enemies we’ve created to date!

Aside from the new battle styles, Nioh 3 also enables players to enjoy an open field that offers a new freedom of exploration to the unique tension and confrontations that have become a defining characteristic of the Nioh series. Experience unexpected encounters with formidable yokai, explore suspicious villages riddled in violent secrets, and take on the daunting challenges of The Crucible. Enjoy the thrilling, hostile new environments as you fight to survive the cursed kingdom!

We're pretty big Nioh fans here at IGN. We gave the original Nioh a 9.6/10, calling it "an epic, unforgettable adventure carried by a fierce combat system that cleverly balances style and strategy." We similarly praised Nioh 2 with a 9/10, saying that its "many systems may be a little overwhelming, but the stellar combat and satisfying difficulty make it worth it." The Nioh series has been very, very quiet ever since the 2020 release of Nioh 2, though Team Ninja itself has kept busy with releases such as Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Rise of the Rōnin, and the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 4.

In case you missed it, here's everything announced at Sony's State of Play June 2025 showcase.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Surprise! Beloved PlayStation tactics game Final Fantasy Tactics is getting a full-blown remake for modern consoles, as announced at today's Sony State of Play.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles will include two versions of the game — the classic original (which includes the War of the Lions translation), and a fresh new version with full-blown voice acting, revamped interface, "extensive additions and adjustments to the story", and smoother visuals.

Today's trailer also revealed a release date for the game, which launches for PlayStation 4 and PS5 on September 30, 2025.

Rumors of a Final Fantasy Tactics remake or remaster have been circulating since 2021, when a list of upcoming games were datamined from Nvidia GeForce Now's database that included a Tactics remaster. Numerous games from the list that were unannounced at the time have since tunred out to be real things, and though series creator Yasumi Matsuno denied there was a remaster in the works in 2023, it seems like he was just being coy.

This seems like it will be a great way to re-experience the classic Square tactics game given that its age has made it hard to access since. We gave it an 8.5/10 way back when it first came out in 1998, and we're looking forward to revisiting this beloved game almost three decades later.

In case you missed it, here's everything announced at Sony's State of Play June 2025 showcase.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Today's State of Play included a brand new trailer for the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater remake that showed off more of the game, a closer look at at the revamped Snake vs. Monkey mode featuring Ape Escape, and... was that a tease for Metal Gear Online?

The trailer focuses on Snake being sneaky, as he is, crawling through areas unseen, in disguise, hiding in bushes, and eventually engaging with the enemy head-on in multiple of the game's infamous boss fights.

However, the end of the trailer is a little sillier. It focuses on the previously-announced revamp of the Snake vs. Monkey mode that includes the monkeys from Ape Escape, with Snake trying to capture them by surprise. When this mode was revealed, we learned that Xbox players would be getting a different, equivalent mode featuring Bomberman instead, so it's possible we see a look at that later this week at Xbox's showcase, or in a future trailer.

And then there's the very end of the trailer that appears to be teasing...Metal Gear Online? That "and more" sure is mysterious.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a remake of the original Metal Gear Solid 3 that was announced in 2023. Though it's been popping up at a lot of State of Plays, it's not PlayStation-exclusive, and it's coming to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on August 28, 2025. We previewed it last August, and you can read our thoughts right here.

In case you missed it, here's everything announced at Sony's State of Play June 2025 showcase.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

The LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B gaming monitor was released at the tail end of 2024. This was LG's first ever OLED monitor with an incredible 480Hz refresh rate. It launched at a starting price of $999.99, which hadn't been discounted at all - until now. For a few days only, Amazon is offering a 25% discount on this monitor, dropping the price to $749.99 shipped. This is one of the best 27" QHD gaming monitors you can get right now, especially if you're aiming for the highest frame rates possible in your FPS games.

$250 Off 27" LG UltraGear 480Hz OLED Gaming Monitor

In a haunting new trailer at today's Sony State of Play, we learned that Silent Hill f's fog of fresh horrors is imminent: it's coming out on September 25, 2025.

In a deeply upsetting new trailer today, we saw a longer, darker look at what's in store for us in Silent Hill f. We saw the main character, Hinako Shimizu, and her friends in Ebisugaoka living normal, peaceful lives, just before a mysterious fog envelopes the town and makes everything real weird.

Creepy red flowers bloom. Heinous, jerky dolls start chasing Hinako around and trying to rip her apart. Her friends don't seem to be doing so hot, either. There's gore, there's violence, lots of paranormal, and Hinako proving remarkably efficient with a crowbar.

Silent Hill f was first announced in 2022. It's set in 1960s Japan and is intended to juxapose horror with beauty in a story written by acclaimed Japanese writer Ryukishi07. We've since learned that it's standalone from the other Silent Hill games, and that it's Japan's first M-rated Silent Hill game, with truly gruesome warnings about impalement, faces being ripped apart, a character being burned alive in a cage, entrails on serving platters, and lots more. Yikes!

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Capcom's elusive new game, Pragmata, has resurfaced at Sony's State of Play, this time with a new release window and a little more info on what the heck this game even is.

As demonstrated by the cheeky ending of the trailer, Pragmata is indeed a real game. You play as an astronaut man, Hugh, who's come into some unexpected enconter in space that's left him vulnerable. He's saved by a little girl whose name is actually DI0367, but who the astronaut dubs Diana.

Though she's small, Diana's far from helpless - she has some sort of magic-techno-hacking powers that enable her to help out her astronaut friend as they fight off the weird robot-alien creatures trying to "neutralize" them. You'll play as both characters simultaneously, with Diana riding on Hugh's back. Per the PlayStation Blog, it looks like the main threat is a lunar station AI that's preventing Hugh from returning to earth...from the moon.

Pragmata was first unveiled way back in 2020, with a trailer of an astronaut, a little girl, and some weird yet beautiful imagery, but little explanation as to what sort of game we were looking at. It was originally planned for a 2022 release, but was then later delayed until 2023, and then paused indefinitely with an apologetic trailer. We haven't seen anything of it since, so this re-unveiling hopefully means that its development is finally making some serious progress, and we'll get our hands on it soon...in 2026.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Sony kicked off State of Play June 2025 with the surprise announcement of Lumines Arise, from Tetris Effect developer Tetsuya Mizuguchi.

It’s due out fall 2025 for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and PS VR2, with a demo due out in the summer. The debut trailer is below:

Lumines has a brand-new feature for the Lumines’ core gameplay: Burst. As you play, you charge up a gauge, shown at the top of the Timeline. When ready, tap a trigger button to activate Burst and lock a formed square to the playfield. Build it as large as you can before time runs out. Watch screen-clearing combos rack up massive points when Burst is complete and the Timeline starts clearing that color again. Clear enough squares to meet the stage’s quota, and you’ll zoom to the next environment.

In a post on PlayStation Blog, Takashi Ishihara, Director, Enhance, said Lumines Arise is built from the ground up as a successor to the classic Lumines puzzle series that began on the PlayStation Portable 20 years ago, and includes optional PS VR2 compatibility.

"Lumines Arise on PlayStation 5 with optional PS VR2 compatibility is more than just an ordinary puzzle game — our aim is to hit you right in the feels," Ishihara said.

"You emerge from the darkness in the first stage (a glimpse of which you saw in today’s announcement trailer), and every stop on the over 30-stage journey evokes a different and complex emotional response. From lush jungles, oceans teeming with life, and snakes preparing to strike, to more electronic frontiers like the bustling streets of Tokyo and the endless expanse of outer space. All with visual flourishes to incite synesthesia.

"It all starts with a seemingly simple puzzle mechanic. If you’ve never played a Lumines game before, here’s how it works: rotate and place a variety of 2×2 blocks made up of one or two colors, forming squares of a single color/pattern. The Timeline sweeps across the playfield to the beat of the thumping soundtrack, erasing completed squares in its path. That gives you a light time pressure to form squares and build on them, making bigger and bigger squares to clear combos and score even more points.

"You race to create combos, ever mindful of the constant movement of the Timeline, feeling the vibration of the DualSense controller while the music radiates between your ears and the vibrant, lively background draws you in. That’s when you enter a flow state, and the world around you vanishes. Your pulse quickens as your breath holds still."

Arise also features brand-new music composed by Hydelic, who was also responsible for Tetris Effect: Connected’s award-winning score. And just as with Connected, everything you do in-game impacts the soundscape.

In case you missed it, here's everything announced at Sony's State of Play June 2025 showcase.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

PlayStation's latest State of Play revealed a bit of the exciting future of PS5, and it included a first look at 007 First Light, the reveal of Arc System Works' Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls, a release date for Silent Hill f, the long-awaited announcement of Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, and much more.

There were a lot of reveals today, and we're here to gather them all to ensure you don't miss a thing! Let us know what game you are most excited for below!

007 First Light Reveals New, Young James Bond, With The Walking Dead's Lennie James Set to Co-Star

We have finally received our first look at 007 First Light, the upcoming James Bond game from Hitman studio IO Interactive, and it showcased a new James Bond at the beginning of his career as an agent. It was also revealed that The Walking Dead's Lennie James will be co-starring in this much-anticipated title that is set to be released in 2026.

Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls Is a 4v4 Fighting Game From the Developer of Guilty Gear

Arc System Works, the developer of the Guilty Gear series and Dragon Ball FighterZ, has confirmed it is working on a 4v4 Marvel fighting game called Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls that is set to be released in 2026 for PS5 and PC.

Silent Hill f Reveals Its Release Date and More Terrifying Footage

The State of Play gave us a new look at Silent Hill f, the upcoming horror game set in 1960s Japan. It was a terrifying look that included a glimpse at some of the horrors fans can expect to face when it is released on September 25, 2025. It won't be much longer until we get to learn about Hinako Shimizu and her friends in an Ebisugaoka haunted by some mysterious fog and dangers never before seen.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Is Coming to PS5 With Classic and Enhanced Versions

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalica Chronicles is bringing the classic game to PS5 with both classic and enhanced versions on September 30, 2025.

The Enhanced Version includes fully voiced dialogue, an optimized and updated UI, graphical improvements, and even some quality of life features like a "Squire" difficulty setting. The Classic Version will unite the "graphics and gameplay of the original 1997 version with the renowned War of the Lions translation." However, it will include some new features like auto save.

Nioh 3 Revealed at PlayStation's State of Play a Demo You Can Play Today

Nioh 3 is on its way to PlayStation 5 in early 2026 and, to help with the wait, Team Ninja announced that a demo is available to play right now.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater New State of Play Trailer Shows Off More Ape Escape

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater recieved a new action-packed gameplay trailer that also featured a glimpse of the revamped Snake vs. Monkey mode featuring Ape Escape. The ending was also surprising because we saw a tease of something related to camoflage.

Ghost of Yōtei Is Getting a Special State of Play in July

Alongside a short glimpse at Ghost of Yōtei, PlayStation revealed we'll be getting a Ghost of Yōtei-focused State of Play in July that will reveal more about this much-anticipated sequel that is set to debut on October 2.

Astro Bot to Get Five New Vicious Void Galaxy Levels and Special Bots in July

The support of Astro Bot has not ended as players will be getting five new Vicious Void Galaxy levels alongside some new Special Bots to collect, including a "revengeful newcomer."

The five new levels are called Twin-Frog Trouble, Suck It Up, Handhold Havoc, High Inflation, and another that has yet to be named.

Additionally, there will be a new Astro Bot Limited Edition DualSense wireless controller released later this year that has a "new joyful twist to the touchpad!"

Lumines Arise Announced For PS5 and PS VR2, Will Be Released in Fall 2025

Lumines is getting a new entry - Lumines Arise - and it will be released for both PS5 and PS VR2 in Fall 2025. This new game is being developed by Tetris Effect developer Tesuya Mizuguchi and there will be a free single-player and multiplayer demo later this summer.

Pragmata Remerges With a Gameplay Trailer and a Release Window of 2026

After last hearing about it in 2023, Pragmata has made its grand return with a new gameplay trailer. In the footage, we see Hugh protecting a little girl named Diana and a ton of stylish action.

Pragmata takes place on a moon and tasks our characters with working together to defeat the lunar station AI and return to Earth. What makes Pragmata unique is that you will control both characters at the same time. Capcom will share more details on how that works in the future.

Thief Is Back... as a VR Game

A New Thief game is on the way in 2025, but it's only being released on PS VR2 and possibly other VR platforms. We saw a bit of gameplay that included exploring a city, sneaking around as a good thief does, finding treasure, avoiding guards, shooting arrows from the shadow, and much more.

Grasshopper Manufacture's Romeo Is a Dead Man is Bringing Wild Action to PS5 in 2026

Grasshopper Manufacture's Romeo Is a Dead Man is a new wild action game coming to PS5 in 2026 that features "super bloody action, crazy twists and turns to blow players' minds, and a whole mess of kinda-stereotypical gimmicks."

The game stars Romeo Stargazer and he is "stuck between life and death." He is working as an FBI Space-Time special agent 'Dead Man' and must hunt "space-time's most wanted fugitives through multiplve universes."

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Collection Fights Its Way to PS5 and PS4 Later This Year

Digital Eclipse, who was worked on such games as Tetris Forever and Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, has revealed Mortal Kombat: Legacy Collection, which will provide an incredibly detailed look at the history of the beloved fighting franchise. Alongside a collection of games, there will be design documents, early prototype materials, motion-capture session, concept art, and more.

As for the games, the ones announced so far are Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II, Mortal Kombat 3, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Mortal Kombat 4, Mortal Kombat Advance, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, and Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition.

PlayStation Annonuces Project Defiant, the First Wireless Fight Stick Design by Sony for PS5 and PC

Sony Interactive Entertainment has unveiled Project Defiant, its first wireless fight stick that will be released on PS5 and PC. While more details are forthcoming, PlayStation said it will "give players more flexibility to play their favorite fighting games, whether that is wirelessly with the innovative PlayStation Link technology that provides ultra-low latency, or through a wired connection on PS5 or PC."

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Has a July 2025 Release Date for PS5 and PS4

The legendary Ninja Gaiden is getting a new entry on July 31 called Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, and you can check out our preview of the side-scroller right here and watch the trailer above to learn more.

Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement Revealed for PS5

Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement is a new 2.5D side-scrolling action RPG headed to PS5 in 2026 that is set in the same gothic world created for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. This story is set in the 16th century where "the Ethereal Castle and its demonic inhabitants have been terrorizing the land and laying waste to all who defy their dark power."

Humanity's last hope is Leonard, a young Black Wolves apprentice, and Alexander, a knight and the lat survivor of White Stags. They will have to work together and take down the Demon Lord Elias. You'll be able to control both characters, and you can swap between the two with the press of a button.

Tides of Tomorrow Is a New Kind of Multiplayer Game Where Choices Impact Other's Journeys

Road 96 developer DigixArt's Tide of Tomorrow will officially be released on February 24, 2026, and it aims to reimagine multiplayer storytelling by letting your choices impact other player's journeys.

Set in a post-apocalyptic ocean world, you will get to "follow" another player who has played before you. Choices also matter. For example, if another player "stole something valuable from an important NPC, that character might now hate all Tidewalkers, forcing you to sneak around instead of being
welcomed."

Sword of the Sea Gets an August 2025 Release Date and a Spot in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog

Abzu and The Pathless developer Giant Squid have revealed more about Sword of the Sea, which will be released on August 19, 2025, and will be available in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog. This "atmospheric surfing adventure" sees you riding aboard an ancient and powerful hoversword and trying to bring life back to a barren world.

Sea of Remnants Is an 'Infinite Voyage Between Death and Rebirth'

Joker Studio announced Sea of Remnants today, which can be described as an "Ocean Adventure RPG/Simulation/Survival Building/Turn-Based Strategy" game. However, Joker Studio has another way to describe their game;

"This is an infinite voyage looping between death and rebirth—a journey where we row forward, tirelessly, only to return to where it all began," Joker Studio's StlarPan wrote on PlayStation.Blog.

In Sea of Remnants, players will take on the role of an amnesiac sailor who goes on a voyage with a mysterious girl to reach the long-rumored, deeply cursed Sea of Remnants - a "place said to hold endless riches and renown."

Survival Climber Cairn Is Landing on PS5 in November 5 and Its Demo Is Out Now

The survival climber Cairn will be released on PS5 on November 5, 2025, and players can check it out for themselves today as a demo is being made available. The demo will let players take their first ascent with Aava today and try their hand at climbing the Tenzen mountain ridge before the ascent of the "unforgiving Mount Kami."

Digimon Story Time Stranger Gameplay Trailer Revealed

Get a new look at Digimon Story Time Stranger with its latest gameplay trailer. This adventure RPG will be released on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on October 3, 2025.

Everybody's Golf Hot Shots Gets a Gameplay Trailer

Check out the latest trailer for Everybody's Golf Hot Shots, which is set to tee off on September 5, 2025.

Baby Steps, The Game About Putting One Foot In Front of the Other, Gets a Release Date

Baby Steps, the comedic third-person action platformer developed by Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, and Bennett Foddy, will be released on PS5 and PC on September 8, 2025.

Hirogami's Mystical Journey Begins on September 3

Hirogami and its beautiful Oragami world will be released on September 3, 2025, and place players in the shoes of Hiro, a fan-wielding master of the art of 'folding.' You must save your home from deadly digital invaders by taking on animal forms to solve any problem that gets in your way.

Developing...

Developer CarX Technologies has made a name for itself over the last decade with series like Drift Racing, Highway Racing, and Rally. In 2022, they branched out with CarX Street, an open-world racing game with a level of freedom they’ve never had before. Then they brought it to Steam in 2024, where it was wishlisted by over 600,000 people. And now, they’re bringing it to consoles — it arrives June 18 on Xbox Series X/S and later this summer on PlayStation 5.

CarX Street takes you to the sprawling Sunset City and its suburbs, where your goal is straightforward: prove you’re the best racer in the city. There are racing clubs scattered throughout the city, each with their own identity. For example, Union Underground is a crew of automotive engineers who value a car’s performance but don’t care about looks. Kanjo Spirit is for hatchback enthusiasts who use volatile, high-risk driving styles.

You’ll need to be prepared for a variety of different race types, like classic sprint races, circuit races, and drifting competitions. All of the races make use of CarX Technologies’ car physics engine, designed with a focus on realism. That realism means that the cheaper cars you can afford at the start of the game won’t handle well enough to tackle harder races and won’t make the grade necessary for you to enter them in the first place. So you’ll need to upgrade your ride early and often.

Luckily, there are tons of options when building a new car. That starts with 92 different vehicles, with additional ones added regularly. There’s also an extensive customization and tuning system that lets you tailor your ride to your preferred driving style — including the engine, drivetrain, suspension, body, and wheels.

Sunset City might be full of racing clubs, but beating them isn’t the only thing to do in the city. You can accept quests to deliver cars or parts to people across the city, and completing them can net you resources to improve your vehicle. You can explore the map on your own and speed down open highways or find mountain roads with sharp turns and narrow passages to put your driving skills to the test. Or you can buy properties across the city that come with parking lots where you can display your custom cars. Through all of this, Sunset City has a dynamic day-night cycle, leading to races having a different feel depending on what time of day you do them.

There are also multiplayer modes if you’re feeling competitive. Battle Mode is a 1v1 showdown in circle or sprint races, Chase Mode has one player try to escape through the city while their opponent tries to keep up, Speed League has circuit and sprint races in a 1v5 format, and Time Attack challenges you to set the best lap time you can while you rise up the leaderboard and earn increasingly valuable rewards. The multiplayer modes will also have crossplay between the PC and console versions of the game.

All of these features will be present when the game arrives on console, but the developers have also announced their plans for future additions. That includes new competitive multiplayer modes, gymkhana (obstacle courses), a team multiplayer mode, dynamic weather effects, a network of high-speed expressways, full narrative campaign, and police chase mechanic.

CarX Street releases on Xbox Series X on June 18, and pre-orders are open now. It’s planned for release on PlayStation 5 later this summer. To keep up with news on CarX Street and the rest of CarX Technologies’ lineup of games, you can check out their official website.

IGN Live is nearly here, as our multi-day celebration of video games and entertainment takes place on June 7 and 8 and promises two days filled with game demos, trailers, exclusive reveals new announcements, panels, contests, stage shows, giveaways, meet-and-greets with IGN personalities, and so much more.

While we’ll be hosting IGN Live in-person in Downtown Los Angeles at The Magic Box @ The Reef, we’ll also be livestreaming the biggest moments from IGN Live so you can be part of the festivities no matter where you are in the world. To help ensure you don’t miss a thing, you can check out IGN Live’s livestream and video schedule below. Keep checking back as we’ll be adding even more exciting things to this guide as we get closer to IGN Live’s big kickoff!

When Is IGN Live?

IGN Live will take place on June 7 and 8 across IGN Platfoms, and the times below are in Pacific Time:

Saturday June 7

10:30am PT - IGN Live Pre-Show Countdown featuring exclusive reveals

12:00PM PT - IGN Live

Sunday June 8

8:00AM - IGN Live Pre-Show Countdown featuring exclusive reveals

9:30AM - Xbox Summer Showcase Preshow

10:00AM - Xbox Summer Showcase

12:00pm - IGN Live

How to Watch IGN Live 2025

We’re excited to share all the biggest moments of IGN Live with you no matter where you call home, and here are all the ways you watch out livestream;

• IGN.com (homepage)
• IGN's Facebook Channel
• IGN’s Twitter
• IGN's Twitch Channel
• IGN’s Youtube Channel
• IGN Live Steam Page
• IGN's iOS App
• IGN's Android App
• Amazon Fire Games Channel
• Sling TV
• Pluto TV
• Samsung TV Plus
• Steam

IGN Live Schedule and What to Expect

You can check out the current schedule of IGN Live - at least what we’re allowed to share ahead of time because there will be big surprises - but we do want to note that this can change at any time.

Plus there’s more! In addition to the livestreams, IGN will be featuring even more exclusive content from IGN Live throughout the weekend across IGN platforms.

IGN Live Schedule (All Times in Pacific Time)

IGN Live Day 1 - June 7

10:30am - 11:30am

• IGN Live Day 1 Pre-Show Countdown Featuring:
• Ironheart
• Jurassic World Rebirth
• Nyaight of the Living Cat
• Revival
• Heads of State
• Murderbot
• How to Train Your Dragon
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Dandadan
• Together
• Marshmallow
• Long Way Home
• Underdogs
• The Home
• The Old Guard 2
• The Life of Chuck
• 40 Acres
• Poker Face
• Screamer
• Rushing Beat X
• Tamashika

11:30am - 12:30pm

• Wander Stars
• Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
• Cloudheim
• R-Type Delta
• Arc Games
• Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Night’s Fallout Interview
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is headed to IGN Live. Some of the cast will be on hand for a special panel celebrating the massively popular game!
• Squid Game
  • Catch a special pre-recorded interview with the cast and creator of the popular Netflix series along with a brand new exclusive clip from Season 3.

12:30pm - 1:30pm

• SCUF Custom Controllers
• Alien: Rogue Incursion
• Rick and Morty
  • Adult Swim's Rick and Morty is coming to IGN Live! Voice actors Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden will be on-hand for an exclusive interview about Season 8.
• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
  • Takashi Iizuka, Head of Sonic Team will be at IGN Live to talk all things Sonic Racing: Crossworlds!

1:30pm - 2:30pm

• Daggerheart
  • Critical Role Co-Founder, Chief Creative Officer, and Cast Member will be on hand to show off his brand new tabletop RPG.
• Critical Role
  • Check out a special 10th anniversary panel with the cast of Critical Role
• M3GAN 2.0
  • Director Gerard Johnstone and Producer James Wan give us a sneak peek of the upcoming horror sequel.

2:30pm - 3:30pm

• Resident Alien
  • Catch a special interview featuring Resident Alien's Alan Tudyk and showrunner, Chris Sheridan along with an exclusive sneak peek at an upcoming episode.
• Podcast Beyond!

3:30pm - 4:30pm

• Killing Floor 3 Developer Q&A
• Criminal Minds: Evolution
  • Stars Joe Mantegna, Aisha Tyler, Zach Gilford, and showrunner Erica Messer will make a special appearance and share a sneak peek at an upcoming episode.

4:30pm - 6:00pm

• Sword of the Sea Interview
  • Join us and the developers as we ride across the sand dunes of this mysterious land filled with wonder and mystery. Grab your sword and get ready to explore!
• Eve Frontier Trailer Rewind
• MindsEye
  • It’s time to buckle-up as we put the metal to the petal for the newest single-player, action-thriller to hit the scene. Join us as we talk to Leslie Benzies about the title and what it takes to survive in the near-future city of Redrock.
• A special IGN Live edition of Nintendo Voice Chat!

IGN Live Day 2 - June 8

8:00am - 9:00am

• IGN Live Day 2 Pre-Show Countdown Featuring:
• Ready or Not
• Ra Ra Boom
• Renown
• DeadZone: Rogue
• King of Meat
• ANIMALKIND
• 1000 Deaths
• Haunted Paws
• Gimmiko
• Equinox Homecoming
• Anno 117: Pax Romana
• We Will Be Gods
• Eriksholm The Stolen Dream
• He Is Coming
• Over The Hill
• Grime II
• Prison of Husks
• Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2
• Total Chaos
• The Last Caretaker
• Spacecraft
• Escape from Duckov
• Ferocious
• Devs React to Speedruns: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

9:00am - 12:00pm

• Xbox Summer Showcase Pre-Show
• Xbox Summer Showcase
• The Outer Worlds 2 Showcase
• Xbox Unlocked Post-SHow

12:00pm - 1:00pm

• Podcast Unlocked

1:00pm - 2:00pm

• IO Interactive Interview
• Daemon X Machina Titanic Scion

2:00pm - 3:00pm

• Twisted Metal Season 2
• Gwent: The Legendary Card Game
• Magic: The Gathering

3:00pm - 4:00pm

• FBC: Firebreak Interview
• Xbox Developer Interviews

4:00pm - 5:00pm

• The Last of Us Post-Season Panel
• NORSE: Oath of BLood

5:00pm - 6:00pm

• Podcast Intro Housekeeping
• How AI Could Change the Way Games Are Made
  • A special panel presented by GamesIndustry.biz diving deep into the future of AI in gaming.
• Up@Noon featuring McFarlane Toys
• Hela

6:00pm - 7:00pm

• Game Scoop! GOTY Watch!

Don't Miss Out On More Fun

Tune in to IGN’s Summer of Gaming all throughout June as we discuss the new original series, FX’s Alien: Earth. From creator Noah Hawley and Executive Producer Ridley Scott, comes the first television series inspired by the legendary Alien Film franchise premiering August 12th on FX and Hulu.

Presented by Alien: Earth

See gamers “get good” — or at least get better at one oddly specific thing — with some training montages and by using the Lenovo Legion 7i gaming laptop. Its Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX™ 50 Series graphics, and PureSight OLED display will carry these gamers from mediocrity to borderline respectability (depending on who you ask).

Presented by Lenovo

IGN’s Daemon Hatfield, Brian Altano, Max Scoville, and Kim Horcher got to go hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2 and play some Mario Kart World. Stay tuned to Summer of Gaming to see it in action, get a look at some of the features of both the game and the Switch 2, and why all our hosts found it distractingly fun.

Presented by Nintendo

We've got you covered on all the biggest announcements and reveals during Summer of Gaming, presented By PlayStation Days of Play. This is also the time to take advantage of summer sales. With PlayStation's Days of Play, you can get the PlayStation 5 Digital console with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 bundle starting at $399.99. While supplies last.

Presented by PlayStation

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.

My Hero Academia came out at the perfect time, releasing just a couple of years before Infinity War, at the height of superhero dominance of pop culture. While Marvel movies were delivering world-ending stakes, the simplicity and relatively small scope of My Hero Academia felt new and refreshing even if it was familiar — especially to anyone who watched Sky High in the mid-'00s. The show is just a very effective battle shonen with everything you'd expect from a series in the genre, including memorable characters, themes about friendship and self-improvement, a sense of escalation, and stunning animation.

But most importantly, the show has an interesting portrayal of a world of heroes where superpowers impact every single aspect of culture and society. Like most shonen, there is plenty of supplementary material, like movies and original video animation (OVAs) and even spin-offs that expand the world of the anime. Whether you're just getting into the show or you want to see what you've missed along the way, here's how to watch My Hero Academia (including the movies) in order.

How Long Is My Hero Academia?

Adapting Kōhei Horikoshi's manga of the same name, My Hero Academia has been airing for seven seasons across almost a whole decade. In addition to the main show, there have been nine OVA's that expand the story, either with silly little side stories or adaptations of one-shot manga, as well as four movies. My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is the first and only anime spin-off so far.

How about canon, though? Well, anything that doesn't directly adapt the manga, like the movies and most of the OVAs, aren't technically canon. Sure, they're fun and the movies do often tease some new power-up that is to come in the anime later on, but they're not necessary to the story.

How to Watch My Hero Academia Online

The next Nintendo console launch is on the horizon, and though it doesn't include a ton of brand-new launch games right out of the gate, there are plenty of exciting game upgrades (free and not) and new-to-Switch games to play. If you're looking to get your Nintendo Switch 2 set up and never think about its settings again or wanting to make sure you have the best start possible in the new games, take a look at our recommended guides written by IGN's experts.

IGN's guide coverage of the Nintendo Switch 2 is just getting started. Be sure to check back in for updates, and if you're an IGN Plus member you get unlimited access to IGN's guide checklists and maps. That means no limits of checklists, map markers, filters, or any of our extensive game help features.

Getting Started With the Switch 2

Start preparing yourself for the Nintendo Switch 2 even before it's in your hands! These starter guides don't need you to have the console, but they can help you get your system set up faster once it arrives:

• Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Guide - From setting up your Nintendo account to checking on what accessories you can use, get ahead on your system's setup.
• How to Transfer System Data - If you're giving your Nintendo Switch the long rest in favor of the Switch 2, you can prepare your save data for transfer. Use this guide or its video below to learn how to do it.

Stay tuned for more setup guides as we find out ways to improve the overall play experience on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Mario Kart World

IGN's expert guide writers are waiting for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch to get their hands on Mario Kart World to start putting the guide together. Stay tuned for an interactive map with all the Mario Kart World secrets, unlock guides, and more.

See which characters and costumes have been revealed already for Mario Kart World here.

Starting or Revisiting Zelda? Start here

The Switch 2 launches with paid updates for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom that add a new second-screen collectible set, graphical improvements, and more. Whether you're playing for the first time or revisiting both to see their updates, these guides can help you on your adventure.

The Most Helpful Zelda: Breath of the Wild Guides:

• Use the BotW Interactive Map to Find Everything - Yes, even all 900 Korok Seeds! If Korok Seed hunting isn't your thing, the interactive map also has all armor locations and common weapon drop spots. If you're worried about running into a stressful Guardian or Lynel encounter (or if you're actively hunting them), you can spot them all on this map too.
• All Recipes and Cookbook Guide - Whether you want to cook up a treat for Link or just make the easiest recipes possible, you'll find everything you can cook in BotW here.
• Shrine Guides - Keep track of which shrines you've completed and get help solving the trickier ones with these helpful guides.
• Complete BotW Walkthrough - Breath of the Wild allows you to choose which major challenge to tackle in any order you wish. If you need assistance deciding where to go next, check out our detailed walkthrough.
• 100% Completion Checklist - If you want to reach the 100% in-game completion, use the this guide to see exactly what BotW counts toward that progress and what doesn't.

Essential Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Guides:

• Tears of the Kingdom Interactive Map - Watch out! You'll see everything that can be uncovered with this updated map of Hyrule, but if that's exactly what you want, look no further! Find all shrines and Light Roots, dungeons, Korok Seeds, and plenty more. Keep track of what you've found on this map, too!
• Things Tears of the Kingdom Doesn't Tell You - Tears of the Kingdom may look similar to Breath of the Wild, but quite a lot of little (and big) things change between the two. Get ahead with this helpful tips guide.
• Complete TotK Walkthrough - There's a lot more of Hyrule to explore this time around. Get the best strategies for every boss fight and puzzle solutions in this TotK walkthrough.
• All Armor Sets - Keep track of what you've collected and preview what you can get later with this helpful checklist of every armor set.
• Shrine Locations and Solutions - There are 152 Shrines to find in Tears of the Kingdom. Getting to some is just half the battle. Find out how to complete them all with the help of IGN's Shrine guide.
• All Side Quests and Side Adventures - With close to a total of 200 side quests and side adventures to track down and complete, there's plenty to do. Don't miss a single one with this helpful checklist and searchable table.

100% Completion Checklist - Like in Breath of the Wild, you need to complete specific tasks to reach 100 percent completion in your game's save file. Learn exactly what counts with this guide.

Revisiting Nintendo Switch 2 Upgrades

Did you know some Switch games are getting free upgrades for the Switch 2? Though most are only visual improvements (see more details about the free game performance upgrades here), a free enhancement is certainly welcome for some of the games that had performance issues on the original Switch. Below are the confirmed games (with guides!) that have a free day-one upgrade:

• Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Guide
• Super Mario Odyssey Guide
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Guide
• The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Guide

Other Big Releases on Switch 2

Though not entirely new, Hogwarts Legacy is getting a paid upgrade and games like Cyberpunk 2077 are making their Switch 2 debut. And not exclusive to the Switch 2, but Nintendo Switch Online members are getting access to GameCube classics like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Get guides for those and more by following the links below.

• Cyberpunk 2077 Guide
• Hogwarts Legacy Guide
• The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker Guide
• Sid Meier's Civilization VII Guide
• Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

There are other big games coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 at later, unannounced dates including Elden Ring - Tarnished Edition and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. There's a rumor we'll see Red Dead Redemption 2 on Switch 2 in 2025, but you'll have to stay tuned for more news and announcements.

About IGN Plus

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Miranda Sanchez is the executive editor of guides at IGN and a member of Podcast Unlocked. She's a big fan of stationery, fountain pens, and is thrilled we're getting a successor to Tomodachi Life. You can sometimes find her on Bluesky.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to release on June 5, and almost every major retailer in the US has a game plan for launch day. For example, Walmart has already confirmed it will have Switch 2 stock available on June 5 from 12 AM ET (online and in-store).

Let's sift through the rest of the plans, from midnight launch events to pre-planned out-of-stock signs. Here's what you need to know going into the Switch 2 release day.

Switch 2: Speedy Stock Check

Walmart: Available From June 5, 12 AM ET

Best Buy: In-Store Launch Events

The release of the Nintendo Switch 2 is right around the corner (yes, it's finally almost here!), and while there are plenty of games and official accessories to preorder right now ahead of release, there are also some great deals already floating around. Mainly, there are quite a few deals on items like carrying cases, screen protectors, and some other accessories for the console.

TL;DR - The Best Nintendo Switch 2 Deals

If you're in the Switch shopping mood, whether to pick up some added protection for the console or scoop up a power bank to keep it charged up, we're here to help.

We've found some of the best Nintendo Switch 2 deals available at the moment below. Stock up now and set yourself up for success when you get your brand new console.

Switch 2 Carrying Case Deals

If you're planning on taking your Switch 2 out on any trips or adventures you have planned this summer, a carrying case is a very helpful investment.

Thankfully, there are plenty of great deals to check out right now. Some of these cases have very sturdy builds, too. Or, you can splash out on a crossbody bag if you want something that's a bit more supported to carry around.

Switch 2 Accessory Deals

There are quite a few Switch 2 accessories discounted at the moment as well. JSAUX is offering deals on several different items, from thumb grips to cases for the Switch 2 JoyCon to a dockable case for the console. ProCase is also offering a case for the console, if you're looking to add a little extra layer of protection around your Switch 2.

Best Switch 2 Screen Protector Deals

And speaking of protection for the Switch 2, it's very important to keep that screen safe. If you've been on the hunt for solid screen protectors, there are plenty on sale right now that are worth picking up. These are usually pretty affordable on their own, but the discounts are a nice little bonus.

Best Switch 2 Power Bank Deals

And lastly in our list of Nintendo Switch 2 deals for right now, you'll want to make sure you've got plenty of power to keep you going once you start playing on it. If you've been looking for a new power bank to have for when you're on-the-go, we've included a few great deals above that are worth checking out.

Where to Buy Official Nintendo Switch 2 Accessories

If official Nintendo Switch 2 accessories have been on your radar, we've included where you can buy those as well. Some of these are still available to preorder at the moment, but make sure to check back on release day to see if an item that caught your eye is available again.

Where to Buy Nintendo Switch 2 Games

Most importantly: the games. If you're looking to fill up your Switch 2 library with some brand new games, or Nintendo Switch 2 editions of your favorites, we've included a wide variety of Switch 2 games that are available to preorder above. Again, if you stumble across any that are out of stock, check back in on release day to see if they're back.

Where to Buy Nintendo Switch 2

If you didn't get a preorder in and are curious where you can buy the Nintendo Switch 2 on the day it drops, have a look through the retailers above.

Keep in mind that it may sell out quick, so if you find it in stock you'll want to be quick to add it into your virtual shopping cart before it's all gone.

Even more Switch 2 deals are sure to pop up in the weeks to come. We'll make sure to update this when more noteworthy discounts appear.

In the meantime, if you're curious to see what's on offer for other consoles, have a look at our roundups of the best PS5 and Xbox deals.

We also have an overall roundup of the best video game deals that highlights our favorite discounts at the moment that we've found across each platform, including PC.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

The Alienware 18 Area-51, Alienware's new for 2025 flagship gaming laptop, is currently on sale. You can pick up a stacked configuration featuring an Intel Core Ultra 9 HX processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti mobile graphics for $2,999.99 with free shipping. This replaces the m18 as the most powerful and feature-rich laptop in Alienware's arsenal and brings to the table a host of upgrades including a sleeker redesign, current generation components, and better cooling potential.

Alienware 18 Area-51 Gaming Laptop Starting at $,2999.99

The sales are plentiful today, but there are a few I’m particularly stoked about. Right now, a 27-inch LG Ultragear gaming monitor with a 480Hz refresh rate and QHD resolution is heavily discounted — competitive gamers rejoice. Staying on theme, a solid Wi-Fi 6E router is surprisingly cheap, and Woot has a killer deal on a Razer TKL keyboard. That’s not all, as you can score decent savings on a mini PC or prep for the summer heat with a low-cost portable air conditioner.

TL;DR: Best Deals Today:

Tomorrow is finally the day the Nintendo Switch 2 drops, and if you were lucky enough to score a pre-order, you’ll want to grab some of the accessory deals below. PlayStation’s Days of Play sale is also still in full swing for big savings on games, the DualSense controller line-up, and more. Plus, with Father’s Day less than two weeks away, a discounted grill, LEGO kit, or tool set might be a great gift idea.

LG 27-inch Ultragear OLED QHD 480Hz Monitor

GMKtec M3 Plus Mini PC

TP-Link AXE5400 Tri-Band WiFi 6E Router

The Blues Brothers 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital

Razer BlackWidow V3 TKL

Craftsman VERSASTACK Mechanics Tool Set

DuraComfort 8000BTU Portable Air Conditioner

LEGO Marvel Captain America’s Shield

Samsung SSD 9100 PRO 2TB

Arlo Pro 5S 2K Spotlight Camera 4-pack

Suikoden I & II HD Remastered

Blackstone ProSeries 2-Burner 22" Griddle

Nintendo Switch 2 Accessory Deals

DualSense Controller Deals

PlayStation’s Days of Play sale continues, bringing some killer discounts on games and accessories. So, if you’ve been waiting to grab a new DualSense controller, now’s the time. A wide range of colors are all discounted below $60 for savings of $15 or more. These are the biggest deals we’ve seen this year on this wireless gamepad that’s comfortable to use, compatible with a range of gaming devices, and full of reliable controls.

Price-conscious gamers have been debating whether or not the Nintendo Switch 2 is worth investing in, especially those who never owned an original Switch. And ever since we learned Switch 2’s exact specs, the burning question is how it compares to its predecessor, and particularly, the most modern model: Switch OLED.

If you’re considering an original Switch – and particularly, the most modern model of the bunch, the Switch OLED – rather than investing in a new one or waiting on stock to stabilize, here’s how the Switch 2 compares to Switch OLED.

Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Nintendo Switch OLED: Price

Being the newest and best-performing make of the original Switch models, the OLED is the most expensive of the bunch. If you’re stuck between choosing the Switch OLED and the Switch 2 with price acting as a primary concern, the Switch OLED is your best bet: It’s $349, which is $100 cheaper than the Switch 2’s $449 price tag. However, Switch OLED has been out for years, so it’s sometimes sold for as low as $279 during sales events. Bundles are also a great way to save money if you were already planning to buy the game, with the Super Mario Wonder OLED bundle available for its base price of $349.

Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Nintendo Switch OLED: Specs and Performance

Nintendo Switch 2’s official specs were confirmed in mid-May, so we can directly compare those to its predecessor’s. Its Nvidia T239 SoC utilizes Ampere architecture for its GPU, which was featured in Nvidia’s RTX 30-series graphics cards. Its 1,536 CUDA cores puts it below even the weakest RTX 30-series GPU (RTX 3050 Mobile), but it’s still significantly more powerful than the original Switch. It’s also rated for 3.07 TFLOPs in docked mode, while a handheld gaming PC like the Asus ROG Ally X is rated for up to 8.6 TFLOP, making the Switch 2 far weaker on paper. However, optimization goes a long way for a console, and we’re still expecting excellent performance throughout Switch 2 titles.

The Nintendo Switch OLED features a Nvidia Tegra X1 SoC and utilizes Maxwell architecture for its GPU. Its 256 CUDA cores puts it far below the Switch 2 in power. Considering the console is 4 years old, it’s no surprise that the architecture lags behind modern machines, as it’s found in GPUs from 2014 (like the GTX 750 and 980).

The Switch 2’s RAM has also been buffed to 12GB through two 6GB sticks – 3GB are dedicated to the operating system itself, while 9GB are available for developers to utilize in games. Its speed is similarly improved, coming in at 102GB/s docked and 68GB/s in handheld mode. The Switch OLED has 4GB of RAM: 0.8GB is reserved for the operating system and 3.2GB for games. Its speed of 25.6GB/s docked and 21.3GB/s handheld is significantly slower than the Switch 2.

Switch OLED pushes ahead in one avenue, which is right there in the name: OLED technology is typically coupled with dimmer panels, but paves the way for more vibrant screens with inkier, deeper blacks. A Switch 2 OLED model is likely within Nintendo’s future plans for the console, but as it stands, those going for the launch model of the Switch 2 are stuck without it.

Switch 2’s 7.9-inch LCD at 1080p is an improvement in size and resolution, though. It’s by far the largest Switch yet, and the leap to HD is more than welcome. On the other hand, the Switch OLED’s 7-inch 720p screen is smaller and less crisp. Other improvements include 256GB of storage (versus OLED’s 64GB) and two USB Type-C ports, whereas the original only had one.

Nintendo Switch 2 is a newer machine with improved hardware, so the winner here is clear. Switch OLED users will quickly find themselves left behind in power.

Winner: Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 vs. Nintendo Switch OLED: Software and Features

Switch 2 and Switch OLED are largely similar in features, including their versatile ergonomic modes going from tabletop to handheld to docked, brought to life by detachable Joy-Con and a kickstand to prop the console up.

Switch 2 is taking those existing features a few steps further: The kickstand is now a U-shaped bar, whereas the OLED model was akin to a plastic plate. Switch 2 has upgraded to Magnetic Joy-Con controllers that are pushed into or pulled away from the sides of the console, rather than the OG Switch’s method of sliding the Joy-Con into place. Switch 2 also benefits from backward compatibility, meaning most Switch games can be played on the new machine (and some will get spec bumps and add-ons for Switch 2 – for a price, of course).

Plenty of new features are coming to Switch 2 as well: The Joy-Con function as mice and can be used as an alternative way to play games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. By dragging the Joy-Con against a surface – including your own hand or pants, according to Nintendo producer Kouichi Kawamoto – players can aim Samus’ weapons as if playing on PC. But it’s more than just an optional feature: Some games, like Drag X Drive, require it.

Switch 2 is trying out a newfound focus on community through its GameChat feature. The newly added “C” button opens up the GameChat menu to perform voice calls, video chats, and screen sharing directly through the console (whereas the original Switch required a mobile application for online communication). This is possible through a microphone built into the Switch 2, and a camera peripheral is sold separately for those interested in video chat. Unfortunately, GameChat will only be free up until March 31, 2026, which is when Nintendo Switch Online memberships will be necessary to use it.

The Switch 2’s additional features crush the original Switch without a question. Mouse functionality, GameChat, and magnetic Joy-Con on top of everything else the original Switch got right makes this successor soar.

Winner: Nintendo Switch 2

The Winner Is… the Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 is an enormous improvement in performance, hardware, and features. Switch OLED pulls ahead in affordability with its gorgeous OLED panel, but players will quickly find themselves locked out of exclusives like Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Kirby Air Riders. After all, the Switch OLED is a 4-year-old console, and investing this late into the game is a waste of money.

Besides, the Switch OLED isn’t that much cheaper than the Switch 2. It’s one thing if you’re interested in the Switch Lite, which is only $199, but if you’re going to spend as much as $350, you might as well pay a little extra for the $450 console that can play the old and new.

Claire finds joy in impassioned ramblings about her closeness to video games. She has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism & Media Studies from Brooklyn College and seven years of experience in entertainment journalism. Claire is a stalwart defender of games as an artform and spends most days overwhelmed with excitement for its past, present and future. When she isn't writing or playing Dark Souls, she can be found eating chicken fettuccine alfredo and gushing about handheld gaming PCs.

If you've been playing on your PlayStation 5 or have since upgraded to the new PS5 Pro, it's worth making sure you have a solid display to play it on. One of the best PS5 accessories you can grab is a capable TV that unlocks the Sony console's full potential. To help in your search, we've done the heavy lifting of hands-on testing and research, narrowing your selection down to nine of the best TVs for gaming on the PS5.

TL;DR - These Are the Best TVs for PS5:

The PlayStation 5 is capable of gaming at 120Hz in 4K and supports features like VRR and ALLM for crisp, buttery smooth graphics and fluid motion in even the most fast-paced games like Gran Turismo 7 or Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Grabbing a 4K TV that can keep up is an absolute must to ensure the action remains smooth while taking full advantage of all that the PS5 can do.

Our favorite TV for the job is the LG C4 OLED Evo, but we’ve found seven other stunning TVs rocking all the gaming features you could want while delivering vibrant colors, deep blacks, and bright highlights that will bring every scene in the best PS5 games to life. Whether you’re after the top-tier HDR performance of the Samsung QN85D for extra depth and immersion, or something a little more affordable but still keeps up with all the action, like the Hisense U8N Series, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at our favorite TVs for PS5 below.

Additional contributions by Sarah Thwaites and Danielle Abraham

1. LG C4 OLED Evo

Best TV for PS5 and PS5 Pro

2. TCL QM8K

Best LED TV for PS5

3. Sony A95L

Best OLED TV for PS5

4. Samsung QN90D

Best Cinematic TV for PS5

5. Hisense U8N

Best Budget TV for PS5

6. TCL QM6K 55"

Best TV for PS5 Under $500

7. LG G4

Best TV for All-Around Entertainment Hub

8. Samsung QN85D

Best HDR Perfomance on a TV for PS5

9. Sony InZone M9 II

Best TV Alternative for PS5

Upcoming TVs For PS5

At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, LG revealed its newest lineup of high-end consumer TVs, the G5 and M5 OLED, that comes with "four stack" OLED panel that claims to up the brightness over the G4/M4 models by 40%. The M5, in particular, also has new wireless capabilities in its Zero Connect Box that can loslessly stream any of your HDMI inputs straight to the TV, which fully supports 144Hz, 4K, and VRR.

How to Pick the Best TV for PS5

When picking a TV to pair with your PS5, pay close attention to important details that have a greater bearing on gaming, like refresh rate, display type, and inputs.

TV size and screen placement can affect your experience outside of specs alone, with issues like glare able to thwart your best-laid plans. We’d suggest testing the room’s natural lighting over a full day to avoid running into any problems. With this in mind, our list includes TVs with multiple size options so you can adequately find a match to fit your living space. When switching between sizes while shopping, be sure to recheck the specs to ensure you are happy with the details of the model.

TV for PS5 FAQ

Do I need a specific kind of TV for my PS5?

If your TV has a basic HDMI port, it will work with your PS5 for all intents and purposes. However, a TV’s specs (and what HDMI cable you use) can dictate the visual quality and allow you to access certain features such as VRR and Dolby Vision. For example, if high refresh rate gaming is important to you, your TV will need to have an HDMI 2.1 port and support 120Hz. Because the PS5 can also stand in as a Blu-ray player, you can get the most out of a 4K TV, but this is by no means a requirement.

Do I need a 120Hz refresh rate TV for my PS5?

While you don’t need a TV with 120Hz capabilities to enjoy games on your PS5, the higher refresh rate will allow you to experience a select number of games, such as God of War: Ragnarok, Fortnite, and Destiny 2, with greater fluidity. However, gaming at 120hz is by no means standard on PS5, with many top-flight titles opting for a lower frame rate that delivers a more reliable visual experience.

When do gaming TVs for PS5 go on sale?

In general, the best time to buy a new TV for any reason is on Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day every year. Both of these sales will have discounts on pretty much every brand available, including some of the best overall TVs for PS5 owners. Outside of those two shopping holidays, you can usually find TV discounts in January after new models are released or during various other holiday sales events throughout the year.

Jaron Schneider is an award-winning commercial filmmaker, an internationally-published consumer technology journalist, and long-time digital imaging expert across the fields of both video production and traditional photography. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of PetaPixel.

If you're shopping for a monitor and price is your number one priority, then have I found a deal for you. Woot!, which is owned by Amazon, is currently offering a new 24" KTC gaming monitor for just $50.32. Amazon Prime members get free shipping, the rest of us pay $6. The same monitor currently sells for $69.99 from Amazon.

27" KTC 1080p 100Hz Gaming Monitor for $50.32

Drivers, ready your A buttons, because Mario Kart World’s countdown clock is finally about to tick down! Unfortunately, Nintendo opted not to send out the Switch 2 for any early coverage, so my review is still in the garage getting tuned up. The good news, however, is that I’ve already gone hands-on with Mario Kart World twice, and when this article is published, I’ll probably already be standing in line to pick up my copy so I can jump right back in. (Sorry, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, but you’ll have to wait a bit longer to get my 10 bucks.)

You can read my most recent thoughts on World from a preview earlier this week, but I also wanted to take a moment to briefly share who I am and why I’m assigned to this review. (Those who have been watching our video reviews to the end may have seen us sharing some context about our reviewer’s tastes and history there as well.) Earlier this year I took over hosting duties for IGN’s Nintendo Voice Chat podcast, and I’ve been excitedly reporting on Nintendo for roughly a decade. I’ve also been doing more and more Nintendo reviews for IGN, including both Super Mario Party Jamboree and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door last year.

I’m also an enormous Mario Kart fan. I’m not sure there’s a video game franchise I’ve spent more total hours playing than this one. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is my favorite entry – and in my top 10 favorite games of all time – and I’ve logged over 500 hours of track time there alone. That’s not even counting the base Mario Kart 8 on Wii U, which I proudly picked up at launch back in 2014 as one of the few Wii U owners out there at the time. (There were dozens of us!) With its gorgeous art direction, amazing track design, and impressive amount of content (including the return of F-Zero!), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe felt like the franchise reaching the finish line of the more-or-less linear Mario Kart formula that began on Super Nintendo, so I’m very excited that World is tackling something entirely new to this series rather than simply iterating on what came before.

Beyond that one, my favorites are Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart 64, which are the two I spent the most time playing with friends and family growing up. Double Dash’s two-character mechanic is such a blast and 64 is an undeniable classic, but I’ll also shout out the 3DS’s Mario Kart 7, which I believe is the most underrated entry in the series. I’ve always loved just playing as Mario in Mario Kart – which leads some of my friends to call me crazy – but I am looking forward to racing as the new-look Donkey Kong in World.

As I mentioned, I do have a bit of a head start here because I’ve already played a healthy amount of Mario Kart World at a pair of Nintendo preview events. I went hands-on with the Switch 2 and Mario Kart on the same day as their reveal Direct, and I was intrigued by what I saw from the new Knockout Tour mode – even though that initial demo was fairly limited. But earlier this week, we published my impressions from a more robust Mario Kart World preview event where I got unmitigated access to the launch version. You can check out my final preview while you wait for the full review, but there I said, “I’m confident Mario Kart World’s thrilling racing will kick off Nintendo’s eighth generation with a rocket start, even if I’m still not completely sold on its open-world exploration.” The combination of that hands-on time means I’m going into launch with roughly eight hours of gameplay already logged, so I can hit the metaphorical A button right after the “2” flashes to have a good boost off the line. I’m hoping to get our final, scored review published before the end of next week.

I’ll even be working on my review from the floor of IGN Live 2025, which is happening in downtown Los Angeles at The Magic Box this weekend, June 7-8. There’s a ton happening at the show, and you can come on down to IGN Live yourself for a chance to be part of the review process by playing against me. We’ll have an official “Game with IGN” setup featuring Mario Kart World where you can play against IGN editors like myself, our co-founder Peer Schneider, and many others – and if you see me on the show floor, you can channel your inner Pokémon trainer and challenge me to a race. (You can’t back out of a trainer battle once a stranger locks eyes with you, that’s just how it works.) Last year at IGN Live 2024, I had a great time playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe against fans that came out to the show, and I can’t wait to do it again – this time with a brand-new Mario Kart.

You can look forward to some updated thoughts on Mario Kart World in the coming days – and, if you managed to secure a Nintendo Switch 2 at launch, then I’ll see you on the open roads!

The Nintendo Switch 2 arrives tomorrow, but if you didn't get the Mario Kart World Bundle then it will be arriving with zero new games. Fortunately, there are already quite a few Switch 2 games you can buy right now. Most of these games aren't Switch exclusives, but are instead new ports to the more powerful console. There are also the upgraded versions of both of the big Legend of Zelda games released on the original Switch.

We've gathered all of the Switch 2 launch games you buy right now below, but you can check out our larger list of all Switch 2 game preorders for more options. You should also keep an eye out for more upcoming Switch games to be announced following the console release.

Switch 2 Launch Games You Can Buy Now

The fastest way to play these games would be to purchase digital copies from the Nintendo eShop, but if you want the physical case to add to your collection you'll have to wait for shipping. Either way you'll need a decent MicroSD Express card to load more than a few bigger games onto your console at a time.

If you don't feel like scrolling through the carousel above, here's a quick bulleted list of all of the Switch 2 launch games you can play, including the update to Nintendo Switch Online.

• Mario Kart World
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
• Nintendo GameCube - Nintendo Classics
  • The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
  • F-Zero GX
  • SOULCALIBUR II
• Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
• Deltarune Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4
• Split Fiction
• Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
• Street Fighter 6 - Official Years 1-2 Edition
• Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
• Sid Meier's Civilization VII - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
• Yakuza 0 Director's Cut
• Fortnite
• Fast Fusion
• Hitman World of Assassination - Signature Edition
• Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
• Survival Kids
• Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
• Arcade Archives 2 RIDGE RACER
• Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S

What About Free Switch 2 Upgrades?

If you already have a backlog of Switch games you're hoping to play on the Switch 2, you'll be happy to know that quite a few of those games are receiving a free upgrade. We've included the ones you can still purchase physical copies of below, but you can als check out the Nintendo website for the full list of games getting a free upgrade.

Michael J. Fox and Gibson have officially launched a search for the guitar Marty McFly played in the Enchantment Under the Sea dance scene in the beloved film Back to the Future.

“We need your help, we’re trying to find the guitar I played in Back to the Future,” Fox told fans in a video released on YouTube to support the search. “It’s somewhere lost in the space-time continuum, or it’s in some teamster’s garage.”

Gibson, which made the Cherry Red ES-345 guitar Fox played in the 1985 blackbuster, also released a “wanted” style poster that asks: “Have You Seen This Guitar?”

The Nintendo Switch 2 is officially being released into the world tomorrow, but if you didn't already secure a preorder, you're likely going to have a hard time finding one available on launch day. Many retailers have stated that they will have some consoles available after the initial release date, but Nintendo has already started shipping out official "Out of Stock" signs ahead of the launch.

If you already have a Nintendo Switch and are looking to upgrade to the new console, you may have to wait a little bit longer to do so. But if you don't currently own a Switch console and want to start playing Nintendo games, there's no reason you can't still buy the older model and be happy about your choice.

The First Switch Is Still Great

Personally, I opted to not even try to preorder a Switch 2. I plan to wait at least a year before I buy one, simply because I'm still perfectly happy with my existing console setup. I think the actual hardware of the Switch 2 seems great and Mario Kart World looks really fun, but right now, it's not enough to convince me to immediately upgrade. I first purchased a Nintendo Switch back in 2018, it was an absolute game changer for me. Since then, it has become my primary gaming device and I've amassed quite the collection of both physical and digital games. There are multiple reasons the Switch is one of the best-selling consoles of all time, but I love it for the games.

Blue Mammoth Games' popular free-to-play fighting game Brawlhalla may be notable for its many pop culture guest stars, but the game also has a mythology and cast of characters all its own. One of those characters now takes the spotlight in Brawlhalla Tales: Nix, an original graphic novel spinoff.

Head down to the slideshow gallery below for an exclusive 10-page preview of Brawlhalla Tales: Nix:

Brawlhalla Tales: Nix is written by Brawlhalla veterans R.J. Jost and Matt Woomer, with Jost also handling the art. The creative team also includes colorist Roshan Kurichiyanil and letterer Lucas Gattoni.

Here's Dark Horse's official summary of the graphic novel:

Nix, a freelance angel of death and the finest reaper of the Underworld, misses her mark at the hands of a rogue Valkyrie – and she never misses! She travels across the nine realms to Valhalla to reclaim her bounty, but the afterworld is not as she expected. Nix discovers strange enemies, stranger friends, and tougher fights than she ever imagined. Now begrudgingly teamed up with an unlikely partner, Nix will need to win Odin’s tournament of heroes if she wants to keep her job and, more importantly, her soul.

Brawlhalla Tales: Nix is priced at $19.99 and will be released on June 17. You can preorder the book on Amazon.

Last year, we picked Brawlhalla as one of the best free-to-play games available on the Nintendo Switch.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the world's premier trading card game, is as popular as it's ever been. Aside from the cards themselves, longtime Magic players (like me!) know that there are countless accessories and other goodies to enhance your experience.

With Father's Day coming up soon (June 15), I've compiled a list of great MTG gifts, from playmats and card sleeves to dice and merch, for that special Magic player in your life.

As a competitive player of 10+ years, these are products I've had and would buy for my personal use, so rest easy knowing that these suggestions aren't without extensive trial and error.

TL;DR - Best Magic: The Gathering Gifts

Magic has been around for over 30 years, but thanks to the recent crossover sets with other IPs, what Wizards of the Coast (WoTC) has dubbed Universes Beyond, its audience has grown monumentally.

Properties like The Lord of the Rings, Fallout, Assassin's Creed, and more have all received the MTG treatment, with Final Fantasy being the next crossover in June.

There's even a full Spider-Man set coming later this year. So there's plenty of great sets to choose from now, and incoming in the near future as well.

Sealed Product

Magic: The Gathering sets are released every few months, and with them come various sealed products to help supplement your collection.

You have booster boxes, collector boosters, starter kits, commander decks, the list goes on. I recommend starting with bundles of the most recently released sets, or looking ahead to expansions like Edge of Eternities.

They make great gifts, as they include nine booster packs, an alternate-art promotional card, extra land cards, a spindown life counter, and the box itself is a great storage solution for extra cards.

Card Sleeves

You have all these fancy new cards, what are you supposed to put them in? Card sleeves are the perfect solution not only for protection but for easily shuffling.

Ultimate Guard and Ultra PRO are some of the best MTG accessories brands around, but Dragon Shield sleeves are my go-to recommendation as a gift for dad.

The Ultimate Guard Katana sleeves are great, too. The matte sleeves are crisp and feel great in your hands. No matter what you pick, make sure you get standard size sleeves, not Japanese card size -- Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are much smaller than Magic cards!

Deck Boxes

Your cards are now sleeved up and ready for battle. Now you need a reliable deck box. Here, you can't go wrong with Ultimate Guard's sturdy options.

I'm a big fan of the Flip 'n' Tray myself, as it can hold a fully sleeved deck, sideboard, and tokens, along with a built-in dice compartment.

For larger storage solutions, there are massive boxes that can hold up to 500 loose cards. All Ultimate Guard options come in a handful of different colors, and the Ultra PRO boxes sport some great official MTG art.

Playmats

Playmats are a must-have for any Magic player, since playing without one can make it hard to pick your cards up off the kitchen table.

Usually made of the same material as a standard mousepad, many people (myself included) like to use mats featuring art of their favorite cards or of their proudest Magic accomplishments.

You can even buy blank white playmats if you find yourself at a Magic Con and want to commission your favorite artist to make it look snazzy!

Dice and Counters

Keeping track of Planeswalker loyalty, +1/+1 counters, or Finality counters are a massive headache without an efficient way of doing so. Luckily, a set of D6 will set you right.

Some more unique cards, like Qarsi Revenant, give other creatures ability counters that are hard to keep track of, so I highly recommend a set of ability counters to go along with your accessories arsenal.

Binders

If you have rare or valuable cards you don't want to store in a bulk storage box, binders are the way to go to keep them nice and pristine.

You can get various sizes and colors from both Ultimate Guard and Ultra PRO, but the Zipfolio from Ultimate Guard is my go-to for expensive singles. These fit great in your backpack for when you're heading out to your local Friday Night Magic

Other Accessories

These suggestions are just scratching the surface of what these accessory makers have to offer. There are countless other sleeves, boxes, and mats to pick from, so pick your favorite Magic player's favorite for a great gift.

Other accessories I recommend are lifepads; some Magic player prefer to write their life totals down and take notes instead of using the MTG Companion app or a spindown counter.

Dry erase tokens are great for cards with copy abilities. A playmat tube is a great storage solution to keep your mats dry and safe, and the Ultra PRO land station is a good way to sort your basic lands or have lands ready for your booster draft night.

Merch

Did you know that the IGN store has some awesome Magic: The Gathering merch? We have a handful of t-shirts, a crewneck sweater, and even a 17oz stainless steel water bottle for sale.

These make great gifts if you aren't quite sure what cards, sets, or formats your favorite Magic player enjoys!

Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.

Over the last eight years, the Nintendo Switch has become one of the most successful and influential consoles of all time – so it’s incredibly exciting that the Nintendo Switch 2 is finally starting to magnetically snap into the hands of millions. Unfortunately, we did not receive a Switch 2 ahead of its worldwide launch on June 5, so we don’t have a review of Nintendo’s new hardware ready for you right out of the gate.

That said, we will be working as fast as we can to tell you all about it once it arrives, as well as all the games and accessories that accompany it. I’ll be the one reviewing the console itself, and the plan is to have a review in progress up sometime Friday with my initial impressions, then a final, scored review ideally by the end of the following week, once I’ve had time to take it to some rooftop parties and the like. And that’s in addition to coverage of all its biggest games.

If you are looking for some very early impressions right now, you can check out our hands-on preview from a couple months ago, as well as a final previews of both Mario Kart World and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour from our very own Logan Plant this week (who will also be doing the full review of Mario Kart World). In the meantime, if you’re wondering why I’m going to be the one to review the full system, let me tell you a bit about myself.

My name is Tom, and I’m the Executive Reviews Editor for games at IGN. I’ve been here for eight years next month and have reviewed quite a few Nintendo games in that time, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. I also served a stint as a regular on our Nintendo Voice Chat podcast. The keen-eyed among you may also notice that this isn’t the first time I’ve reviewed a Switch, either: I did both our 2018 updated review of the base Switch, taking a look at the system after a year of regular use, as well as our review of the pocket-sized Switch Lite in 2019.

After all of that I’m extremely familiar with Nintendo’s original hybrid system, and while I truly love that console, I’m also very aware of its shortcomings, from performance woes to joystick drift. Because the Switch 2 feels like more of an iterative successor that doesn’t set out to flip the table on what Nintendo was already doing, I am going to be taking an eye toward those longstanding issues and how well they have been addressed (although, for something like drift, we likely won’t have a clear answer for many months to come).

I am also extremely curious how its new flagship features are going to work outside of the controlled environment of a preview event – most of all, its mouse controls. If that option works as well as I hope, it could be a massive gamechanger in terms of what kinds of games can be comfortably played on a console. But if it is poorly implemented or uncomfortable to use for whatever reason, it’ll just be the latest in a long line of gimmick control schemes that we hope aren’t awkwardly forced into every first-party game (I’m looking at you, motion controls).

Speaking of games, alongside the system review and reviews of the two all-new launch games, Welcome Tour and Mario Kart World, we’re also planning check-ins on major games that are getting Switch 2 revisions. That includes Cyberpunk 2077, Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom, and Civilization 7, as well as games with less flashy updates like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

Needless to say, we’ll be covering this console launch from every possible angle, and we are excited to dive in alongside everyone else.

Hi, everyone. I have a message for you, from one Elden Ring: Nightreign player to another: please stop beelining chapels at the start of each game to collect flask charges.

I'm not the only one saying this! Fellow Nightfarers in the community have been sharing this PSA over the last few days to express frustration at what's becoming an annoyingly common habit when queuing with random players in Nightreign.

Essentially, what's happening is this: in Nightreign, every map is riddled with a handful of small churches or chapels that contain a free upgrade to your healing flask, adding an extra charge. This is genuinely great! It's good to go after these! However, as players have gotten more comfortable with the gain and learned about this guaranteed, free reward, more and more people have developed a weird habit of beelining directly from chapel to chapel while doing literally nothing else, skipping camps of monsters and other rewards in favor of sprinting for five minutes, getting a charge, sprinting for five more minutes, repeat until it's nighttime.

Why is this bad? Well, largely because collecting flasks is all well and good, but it's not helpful to be able to repeatedly heal yourself if you're getting one-shot by Wormface. Good Nightreign play is a balancing act: you have a limited amount of time before night falls and the big boss arrives, so you need to spend it wisely by fighting increasingly difficult monsters, raiding camps, collecting better weapons and items, and leveling yourself up. If you're not at least level five or six by the time the first night falls, the boss is just going to smash your face in with one shot — the extra flask won't help you.

Therefore, an ideal strategy is to spend as little time running across the map as possible, and instead try to flow easily from place to place in close proximity to one another, grabbing flask charges where it makes sense in between raiding camps and fighting sub-bosses. And yet, in spite of this, every three or four times I queue, I end up with someone who keeps aggressively dropping map pins on chapel after chapel and running off on their own when we don't agree with the plan to spend half the game in a footrace across the map for a flask charge. Bud, I'm playing Recluse! I don't have any HP to heal in the first place!

So yes. It's good to go to church and get right with our lord Marika. But it's also okay to have other, non-religious hobbies, like beating the snot out of this Abductor Virgin in the courtyard so we can get the map at the top of the tower and I can grab a new staff off the rack next to it. Thank you for your consideration on this matter.

We’ve got plenty of Nightreign tips and tricks to help you take down all the eight Nightlord Bosses, and if you’re wondering how to unlock the two locked Nightfarer Classes, check out How to Unlock the Revenant and How to Unlock the Duchess, plus How to Change Characters.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

After months of anticipation, Nintendo’s Switch 2 console has launched. While some might be hoping to walk into a store on June 5 and snag Nintendo’s next-gen offering, customers in Japan are disappointed to find that physical stores are holding off selling Switch 2 on launch day.

Ahead of launch, Japanese manga and anime news outlet Futaman (via Yahoo News Japan) asked some of Japan’s biggest retailers about their plans for selling the Switch 2 in stores. Bic Camera, GEO Holdings, Toys R Us Japan, and Don Quijote all said they will only be selling Switch 2 consoles to lottery winners on launch day. Major electronics retailer Bic Camera will have a “hands-on” event at its Ikebukuro store in Tokyo from June 5-8, but customers won’t be able to buy the console there and then (source: ITMedia).

“We honestly can’t say anything about over-the-counter sales on June 5 and onwards at this time,” said a Bic Camera representative, quoted by Futaman. According to its official X post below, Bic Camera Ikebukuro will be selling Mario and Kirby merch, not consoles, at its Switch 2 launch event.

Nintendo Switch 2
発売記念イベントまであと1⃣日🎮

1階店頭イベントブースでは
Nintendo Switch 2 発売記念イベント仕様に✨

マリオやカービィなどのキャラクターグッズを販売しております😊

Nintendo Switch 2 の体験会は明日より4日間開催😍
ぜひお見逃しなく🏃 https://t.co/F6V1iDcK8v pic.twitter.com/y9jpcgP6s9

— ビックカメラ池袋本店【公式】 (@bicikebukuro) June 4, 2025

Another big Japanese electronics chain, Yamada Denki, also has no plans for launch day Switch 2 sales, but will hold lotteries when supply allows. Don Quijote has plans to hold another Switch 2 lottery later this month.

But what about Nintendo’s own official bricks and mortar stores? Gamers are out of luck there too. On June 4, Nintendo Japan issued a statement saying it will not be selling Switch 2 consoles and accessories at its physical shops in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto “for the time being.”

This move was likely made to prevent people lining up outside the stores, as well as possible overcrowding. At the time of writing, it is not known when Nintendo will stock Switch 2 products at its stores in Japan.

For a limited time, Amazon is offering the lowest price I've ever seen on one of the best Windows-based gaming handhelds. Right now you can pick up a Lenovo Legion Go with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU and 512GB of storage for only $499.99 shipped after a 30% off instant discount. The Legion Go boasts a larger and sharper display, detachable controllers, and a larger battery compared to the Asus ROG Ally.

30% Off Lenovo Legion Go 512GB Gaming Handheld

As players dive deeper into Elden Ring Nightreign's launch content, more discoveries are being made and Nightlords felled. Some Nightfarers would like a little bit of assistance, though, when it comes to knowing what's dropped on the ground.

One post on the Nightreign subreddit that picked up a bit of traction is asking for more weapon info when items drop on the ground. Clearing a camp or point-of-interest in Nightreign tends to result in a decent amount of loot to sort through, and so the idea is that you'd like some more details to quickly scan over.

As commenters have pointed out — and I went in to verify with a quick run — you are able to see a weapon class type by hitting R3 for details. This also provides info on Weapon Arts and passives, which helps a ton. You can still get confused by an item name in the heat of the moment, but otherwise, you'll need to pause for a moment and read over.

It still doesn't account for scaling, though, and while commenters note scaling is incorporated into the overall damage number on a weapon, sometimes seeing scaling can help. For example, knowing a raw damage number only tells you the damage of one hit, not how fast you can swing it. It's uncertain whether that incorporates split damage weapons, either.

In another, potentially more controversial post, one Redditor suggested loot names on the drops, in colored text. This one honestly got a mixed reaction from me, as I don't know that seeing a bunch of cluttered names littered on the ground would help that much. I also like the stress of picking an item up off the ground and debating its merits, pit against the ticking clock and urgency of the Night closing in.

Still, in this thread, others are asking for the same clarity in the previous one. While scaling and other details can be found in the sparring grounds, through the equipment chest, that does mean internalizing a lot of knowledge or having a wiki handy. There's some desire for even a few extra tidbits of info, to help make those swift calls and decisions.

It's an understandable desire, even if I'm not sure that any of the suggestions yet have looked like the right implementation. FromSoftware is clearly paying attention to player feedback though, as evidenced by its quick patch to nerf solo player difficulty and the commitment to adding a Duos mode. We'll see if this is an area FromSoftware feels like it needs to fine-tune, or if it's left as-is. Either way, some study time in the sparring grounds could ultimately do every Nightfarer some good, in their quest to take down the Nightlord.

We’ve got plenty of Nightreign tips and tricks to help you take down all the eight Nightlord Bosses, and if you’re wondering how to unlock the two locked Nightfarer Classes, check out How to Unlock the Revenant and How to Unlock the Duchess, plus How to Change Characters.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Summertime is right around the corner, and that means Summer of Gaming is here to kick off the sunny season. While we eagerly wait to see what Xbox has in store this Sunday during the Xbox Games Showcase, there are plenty of great Xbox deals to check out in the meantime. Some of our favorites at the moment include discounts on Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Space Marine 2, and Resident Evil 4, but these just scratch the surface of what's out there.

If you're looking to stock up on new Xbox games or accessories, we're here to help. Here are the best Xbox deals available right now.

Best Xbox Game Deals

If you're looking to stock up on new Xbox games, there are quite a few on sale right now that are worth checking out. Some of our favorite discounts are on Space Marine 2, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and Resident Evil 4, but there are so many more to look through. You can check out those deals and more of our favorites right now above.

Best Xbox Accessory Deals

Outside of games, there are a few different Xbox accessory deals that are worth your time and money as well. Walmart's offering some nice discounts at the moment on both the standard Xbox controller and the Elite Series 2 controller, while Amazon's got the 1TB Seagate Storage Expansion Card and SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro headset on sale.

When Should I Buy an Xbox?

In general, it is advisable to keep an eye out for sales and restocks throughout the year, as availability has improved since the initial launch of the console. Unlike the Nintendo Switch, there is no specific recommendation to wait for a sale regardless of the time of year. Instead, it's a good idea to monitor various retailers and online platforms for restock announcements and promotional offers.

However, certain events like Black Friday or other holiday seasons may bring about unique bundles, discounts, or promotional deals specifically for the Xbox Series X. These bundles may include additional games, accessories, or exclusive limited editions. While quantities for such promotions might be limited, they can provide an opportunity to get more value for your purchase.

It's worth keeing in mind that Xbox recently increased console prices as well, which you can read more about here.

Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S?

Choosing between the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S ultimately depends on your gaming preferences, budget, and specific requirements. Let's compare the two consoles to help you make an informed decision:

1. Performance: The Xbox Series X is the more powerful option, offering native 4K gaming, higher graphical fidelity, and faster loading times. It has more advanced hardware, including a larger storage capacity. On the other hand, the Xbox Series S targets a lower price point and offers a less powerful performance, targeting 1440p resolution gaming and upscaling to 4K.

2. Price: The Xbox Series S is more affordable compared to the Xbox Series X. If budget is a significant factor for you, the Xbox Series S provides a cost-effective option while still delivering a next-generation gaming experience. For example, the Series S can play Starfield at 1440p 30fps (vs 4K 30fps on Series X).

3. Storage: The Xbox Series X comes with a larger internal storage capacity, allowing you to store more games directly on the console. The Xbox Series S, however, has a smaller storage capacity, which means you may need to manage your game library more actively or rely on external storage solutions.

4. Disc Drive: The Xbox Series X includes a disc drive, enabling you to play physical game discs and enjoy a wider range of media options, including Blu-ray and DVD playback. The Xbox Series S, in contrast, is a digital-only console, meaning you can only play games downloaded from the digital store.

5. Graphics and Performance: While both consoles support ray tracing, the Xbox Series X provides a more immersive and visually impressive experience due to its superior hardware capabilities. If you prioritize cutting-edge graphics and want the best performance available, the Xbox Series X is the preferable choice.

Consider your gaming preferences, budget, and whether you prioritize top-of-the-line performance or cost-effectiveness. If you have a 4K TV, want the most powerful console, and are willing to invest more, the Xbox Series X is the recommended option. If you have a lower budget, a 1080p or 1440p TV, and don't mind sacrificing some performance, the Xbox Series S offers excellent value for money.

With how expensive gaming is getting in 2025, we're trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We've got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as Switch and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand new offers. If you're trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Deltarune, the multi-chapter sequel to 2015's indie smash hit Undertale, is currently blowing up on Steam thanks to the release of Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 this morning after years of anticipation.

The game itself has been out in some format since 2018, when creator Toby Fox posted a series of cryptic tweets before dropping an innocuous download entitled "SURVEY PROGRAM." That download turned out to be the first chapter of a new game, Deltarune, the name of which is an anagram for Undertale. After a cryptic introduction, the player controls a teenager named Kris who, with their school bully Susie, is dropped into a mysterious Dark World and tasked with saving its citizens by a goat-child named Ralsei.

Deltarune's second chapter manifested in 2021, revealing something like an adventure-of-the-week format where Kris and Susie repeatedly visit the Dark World in each chapter, meet a new villain, defeat them alongside Ralsei, and return home. In total, the game is expected to have at least seven total chapters, and we've known three and four were coming today since Fox announced it in April.

Deltarune, like Undertale, is a turn-based RPG with bullet hell mechanics, and features a cast of both new and returning characters from its predecessor. However, its connection to Undertale itself is mysterious — the characters themselves have key differences from their Undertale versions, no one seems aware of the events of Undertale, and yet the game frequently winks and nods to Undertale's events in a way that players of both will recognize, even if its in-universe cast doesn't.

While the game itself is beloved for its zany humor, lovable characters, unique combat, and fantastic soundtrack, much of what fuels the nearly-rabid online interest is related to the mystery of what, precisely, Deltarune is, and how it will ultimately connect with or solve some of the latent mysteries of Undertale.

At the time of this writing, Deltarune already has over 100,000 players on Steam and is the 10th most-played game on Valve's platform. It's already surpassed the peak Steam player count of the free Deltarune Chapter 1 and 2 demo, despite costing $25. It's the top-selling game on Steam right now by revenue, ahead of the likes of Counter-Strike 2, Elden Ring: Nightreign, and Dune: Awakening. But its true popularity will be much bigger, given Deltarune is also out on PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox Series consoles now, and its Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 versions launch tonight at midnight when the Switch 2 officially releases.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.